Catskill Antique Automobile Club celebrates 50 years

In June 1968, a two-day car show was held at the Columbia Hotel in Hurleyville. The show included showing of cars on Broadway in Monticello, a cocktail hour, a banquet with a professional show on Saturday and a barbecue lunch, an antique clothing fashion show and a trip to the Resnick Museum in Ellenville on Sunday. More than...

In June 1968, a two-day car show was held at the Columbia Hotel in Hurleyville. The show included showing of cars on Broadway in Monticello, a cocktail hour, a banquet with a professional show on Saturday and a barbecue lunch, an antique clothing fashion show and a trip to the Resnick Museum in Ellenville on Sunday. More than 100 cars from the Northeast participated in the show. The show was the fifth annual Monticello New York Meet. Today this show is the annual Catskill Region Antique Automobile Club of America Antique Classic Custom Car Show & Swap Meet.

When the Catskill Region AACA first started, the Ellenville Club was very helping in getting it going. The first two shows they did together. In 1968, Harry Resnick was purchasing cars for his museum, which was set to open that year, so he displayed his 1913 Mercer Raceabout and a 1924 Amilcar that he had in his collection.

For 35 years, the show was held on Broadway in Monticello and had a host hotel along with it. Some of these hotels were Kutsher's, the Huff House, the Valley View Hotel, Kenoza Lake, Esther Manor and the Eddy Farm in Sparrowbush. People traveled great distances not only to participate in the show but also to enjoy the activities that the hotels had planned such as golf and swimming. Families came year after year.

As the years went by, Broadway merchants began to complain that the car show was ruining their businesses since they closed the street to traffic while the show was taking place. The president of the car show at that time, Lou Liefer, decided to move the show to the Rock Hill Fire Department Frog's Pad. For more than 15 years, the car club and Rock Hill Fire Department have worked together to provide entertainment for families in Sullivan County, a place to show cars and for car folks to be with others who share their passion.

On June 2, rain or shine, the Catskill Region Antique Automobile Club will be holding its 50th Spring Meet. As the club has been doing for the past 15 years, the show will be held at the Rock Hill Fire Department Frog's Pad off Exit 109 on Route 17 in Rock Hill. Registration is from 9 a.m.-noon with a preregistration fee of $8 by May 20 and a $12 fee the day of the show. Trophies will be awarded at 3 p.m. Just like the shows of yesteryear, there will be plenty of raffles, food and family fun along with some unusual and special cars being displayed. For more info or preregistration forms, call Vicky Krauss at 932-8923 or visit catskillregionaaca.org.